Products/Software

Selly Automotive announced Wednesday it has integrated its CRM platform with the Wayne Reaves Software DMS to enable sales and inventory data to sync for the company's dealers.

“For dealerships looking for a CRM solution, we are happy to announce this partnership to assist dealerships and their teams in maximizing sales opportunities. This integration will allow our dealers to have the tools they need to close more deals and maximize profits,” Wayne Reaves Software president Jason Reaves said in a news release.

When it comes to making deals, the new partnership specifically allows dealers to increase their knowledge about customers during the sales process, according to Selly Automotive.

Dealer.com announced Thursday it has unveiled a new website experience optimization that personalizes content for car buyers based on individual shopper behavior across Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book.

The new data integration is designed to help dealers deliver personalized shopping experiences online in a way that saves time and money, according to the company.

Using shopper behavior data from Autotrader.com and KBB.com, the new product deploys inventory and fixed ops marketing content, specials and assets automatically on the site.

"The leading consumer sites have succeeded by creating a highly personalized customer experience that anticipates what they want, and consumers today are expecting that experience from every company," Dealer.com senior director of website and platform products Bob George said in a news release.

"Our new integration will provide dealers with an essential asset to remain competitive amid the challenging sales outlook and evolving consumer preferences. Experience Optimization generally results in click-through rates two to two and a half times higher on personalized content than on non-personalized content," he explained.

This month, the new automated technology will be featured at the Driving Sales Executive Summit Innovation Cup Product Showcase in Las Vegas, beginning on Oct. 22.

Groupe PSA, owner of car brands Peugeot, Citroen and Opel, announced Wednesday that it has launched Free2Move, an app on which users can compare the location, characteristics and operating costs of available transportation options, in Seattle.

This is the company’s first U.S. market launch. The Free2Move app is currently available in France, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Austria and Sweden.

“We’re pleased to announce today that we will begin our North American operations in Seattle,” Groupe PSA senior vice president of mobility Brigitte Courtehoux said in a news release. “As we begin to add more providers and roll out to new cities, Free2Move will enrich the lives of Americans who embrace innovative, non-traditional forms of transportation.”

With Free2Move, consumers can both schedule and instantly access various transportation options while on the go.

The smartphone-based mobility aggregation platform features offerings from companies like Car2Go, Zipcar and TravelCar.

“The decision to launch a service that helps people move around in the most efficient way underscores our commitment to the future of Groupe PSA,” said Larry Dominique, Groupe PSA North America president and chief executive officer.

“As mobility services evolve and innovate based on the way people think about and consume mobility, bringing Free2Move stateside provides us with a unique way to address consumer demands, as well as a flexible platform to roll out future products,” he explained.

In Seattle, Groupe PSA said the launch of Free2Move helps support the city’s recent efforts to develop efficient mobility in the area.

Bike-sharing services like Ofo Bike, Lime Bike and Spin Bike will be added to Free2Move over the next 60-days, according to the company.

Additionally, Auto/Mate designed its Open/Mate program using open standards to provide third-party vendors an affordable integration experience, the company said.

"We're happy our customers have choices when it comes to dealership management system (DMS) providers," Oplogic president John Parent added. "Auto/Mate's DMS is one of the best choices for software and support, and their integration program is relatively inexpensive, so we can pass those cost savings and efficiencies directly to our dealership clients."

Auto/Mate currently serves 1,350 dealerships, including large auto groups and single-store franchises.

AIADA announced Monday that through a new partnership with AutoAlert, its automobile franchise members now have access to the company’s data-mining and communication platforms.

Using patented algorithms, AutoAlert's data-mining and communication solutions can help dealers make strategic business decisions based on results.

"AutoAlert has been a great partner of Hitchcock Automotive organizations for years now, and we are honored to have them partner with AIADA," Howard Hakes, AIADA vice chairman and president of Hitchcock Automotive said in a news release.

The company’s solutions include AlertMiner and PandoConnect for data mining, One-to-One Intelligent Marketing for marketing, PandoSocial for social media and Pando for internal communication and processes.

AuctionVcommerce announced Friday it has introduced a new basic version of its Online ClerkTraining Simulator released in 2015.

In recent years, auctions using the original program have requested a modified solution with minimal investment, according to the company.

“My original vision included the idea that auctions would validate the certification with a new pay structure that would ultimately serve to increase clerk retention, and improve morale. However, it seems that we still have an issue with perception,” AuctionVcommerce president and co-founder Kelly Bianchi said.

“When you are selling the future, your collateral is simply your belief. I have come to realize that I need to meet the auto auction industry halfway,” she explained.

The new Online Clerk Basics training aims to elevate perspective clerks to a skill level more comparable to a digital version of the auctioneer, according to AuctionVcommerce.

The program includes a guided tutorial, and only requires that participants complete the first level of the full certification training.

Training covers all of the fundamentals for performance, along with additional features that are designed to teach perspective clerks how to effectively incite participation.

“Millennials will not be nostalgic about the way things used to be,” Bianchi added. “We have to re-invent the traditional auction. The industry has not defined standards, or expectations when it comes to online execution. First, and foremost, we need stability.”

Additionally, the new program is also cheaper for auctions. It is roughly half the price of the original version, according to AuctionVcommerce.

Announced Monday, RMS Automotive and Manheim has given independent U.S. dealers a new co-listing capability that provides access to all open sale vehicles listed on RPM, the Nissan and Infiniti digital sales platform powered by RMS Automotive.

The open sale inventory on RPM will be simultaneously listed on Manheim.com and OVE, Monday through Friday, from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. (EDT).

With the new offering, both the exposure of the manufacturers’ inventory to Manheim’s digital buying audience is increased, and independent dealers have access to a larger selection of high-quality used vehicles.

Dealers can choose from inventory located nationwide across the Nissan and Infiniti dealer network, and can conveniently move the inventory with transportation options provided by Ready Logistics.

“Obtaining vehicles as cost- and time-efficiently as possible is the name of the game for dealers in today’s competitive used-car market,” Nick Peluso, president of Manheim Digital Marketplace and RMS Automotive said in a news release.

“By offering open sale listings to the largest base of online buyers on Manheim.com and OVE, we can offer dealers early access to thousands of sought-after, pre-auction Nissan and Infiniti vehicles,” he explained.

With this solution, open sale inventory found on the Nissan and Infiniti RPM platform is now included in dealers’ Manheim.com and OVE search results.

Using single sign-on authentication, Manheim and RMS Automotive directs dealers to Nissan and Infiniti’s private label website where they can evaluate, bid, buy and make offers.

“In addition to enabling buyers to access an unprecedented selection of inventory, this digital solution helps manufacturers’ like Nissan and Infiniti drive transaction speed and efficiency by offering the right vehicles to the right dealers at the right time,” Peluso added.

RMS Automotive said Nissan and Infiniti have conducted closed franchise sales and grounding returns on the RPM technology platform with the company since May of last year.

A 2018 model-year Volkswagen that might be in your used inventory one day could have a considerable amount of factory warranty remaining thanks to a decision the automaker announced on Friday.

For the 2018 model year, the OEM said most new Volkswagen vehicles in the United States will come with the company has dubbed the People First Warranty, a six-year or 72,000-mile (whichever occurs first) bumper-to-bumper new vehicle limited warranty, which can be transferred to subsequent owners throughout its duration.

Autotrader executive analyst Michelle Krebs explained how the program can be especially beneficial for dealers now and potentially down the road.

“While Volkswagen’s People First Warranty is intended to instill confidence in the brand’s products after the diesel scandal, it is also an important tool to help addresses new-car affordability,” Krebs said in commentary provided to the media.

“To keep monthly payments down, consumers are stretching auto loan terms. The Volkswagen warranty extends along with those loans to help save the first — and even second buyer of a VW — repair costs,” she continued.

“Volkswagen has always been ‘the people’s car,’ and with the People First Warranty, we’re putting our customers first,” said Hinrich Woebcken, president and chief executive officer of Volkswagen Group of America, in a news release.. “By bringing the right cars, at the right time and making the offer very competitive, we believe we’re in the position to grow in the U.S. market.”

The six-year/72,000-mile People First Warranty includes powertrain coverage for engines, transmissions and optional 4Motion all-wheel-drive systems. Additionally, all the elements of the People First Warranty can be transferred to subsequent owners for up to six years or 72,000 miles, whichever occurs first, from the date it was first sold new.

“VW’s extended (and transferable) warranty demonstrates the company’s commitment to its owners and its products,” Kelley Blue Book executive analyst Rebecca Lindland said in the commentary.

“Warranties are like insurance — it’s great to have it, but ideally you never need to use. Warranties can be very effective selling point, but only if the product resonate with the American buyer,” Lindland added.

The automaker pointed out that most mainstream competitors to Volkswagen in the United States such as Honda, Toyota and Ford offer only a three-year/36,000 mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty on their cars and SUVs.

While Hyundai and Kia offer a five-year/60,000 mile basic warranty and a higher time and mileage limit on their powertrain limited warranties, if the vehicle is sold to a second owner, VW noted the powertrain limited warranty is not transferable beyond five years or 60,000 miles from the date it was first sold new.

“Volkswagen has begun to grow again in America, and buyers have welcomed the Atlas and Tiguan into their homes” said Derrick Hatami, executive vice president, sales and marketing for Volkswagen of America.

“Expanding this warranty beyond those two models gives our dealers another compelling argument for the rest of our lineup, and we believe it will lead to a reduced overall cost of ownership for buyers,” Hatami said.

The company said on Wednesday that it has surpassed $1 billion in finance amounts requested on the AutoGravity platform.

Additionally, AutoGravity has announced the launch of real-time inventory for new and used vehicles from partner dealership groups across the nation. Shoppers can browse real vehicle inventory on dealership lots, find the specific model that's right for them and secure up to four finance offers in minutes on the AutoGravity smartphone app.

More than 750,000 shoppers have downloaded AutoGravity, collectively requesting more than $1 billion in financing. These users can now search inventory by car brand and model year as well as characteristics such as body type, drivetrain and color.

Shoppers can find their desired vehicle waiting for them on the showroom lot for the payment they want. With the unit selected and offers in hand, users can pick up their vehicle and drive off the lot with the confidence of knowing they have secured a “fair deal,” according to AutoGravity which has partnered closely with the largest dealer groups in the country to design a seamless process by which dealers can easily load inventory feeds, including vehicle details and pictures, to AutoGravity's secure platform.

“We worked closely with our dealer partners, including some of America's largest dealer groups, to give car buyers access to the showroom right from their smartphones. AutoGravity technology has made that possible,” Hinrichs added.

Online used-vehicle sales platform Instamotor announced on Wednesday that it will allow dealers and private sellers in California and Texas to list their available inventory for free on the company’s iOS, Android and web platforms.

By listing on Instamotor, dealers will get:

• Access to more than 100,000 serious car shoppers monthly

• Free inventory listings with viewership and engagement metrics

• Free vehicle history reports for each vehicle listed

Instamotor, which had previously been entirely peer-to-peer, made this decision after continuously receiving interest from dealers seeking relationships and opportunities with the marketplace. The company insisted dealers recognize that listing on Instamotor is an easy way to get additional exposure for their inventory from customers they may not otherwise be able to reach.

Unlike other free mobile marketplaces, Instamotor users are “serious buyers,” according to the company.

Looking ahead, the company will implement certain features to qualify buyers even further, giving sellers the opportunity to clearly identify and contact ready-to-buy shoppers.

“As a former dealer myself, I understand how valuable it is to gain exposure for available inventory through as many channels as possible, especially via mobile,” Instamotor co-founder and chief operating officer Val Gui said. “By listing on Instamotor, dealers will have the opportunity to make meaningful connections with more than 100,000 users on our marketplace.”

Since its inception, Instamotor insisted that it has provided a safe and transparent way for used-vehicle sellers and buyers to transact. Each vehicle is screened to identify issues such as branded or salvage title, lemon history, odometer inconsistency, weather damage and more. All major issues are flagged on each listing so shoppers can be informed before making their decision.

Instamotor is currently available in the markets of San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas and Houston, with plans of expanding into additional markets in 2018.

“The way consumers are shopping for and purchasing cars is ever-changing, but we will continue to keep the experience on Instamotor a safe, and easy one,” said Gui.

Gui previously discussed with Auto Remarketing how the company to growth through initiatives like what it revealed on Wednesday.